


You're My Pawn and Nothing More

by Eleanorose123



Series: You're My Pawn and Nothing More [1]
Category: Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, First Time, M/M, Steeljaw being a shifty glitch, as in establishing a relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 09:08:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6605032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanorose123/pseuds/Eleanorose123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thunderhoof requests a rather intriguing proposition to Steeljaw...one that the wolf-con might just use for his own advantage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're My Pawn and Nothing More

**Author's Note:**

> First published Transformers fic, and it's with these two, cause I read all their shipfics late at night and got ideas. Lots of ideas.
> 
> Set somewhere in between "True Colors" and "Sideways" when the pack wasn't fully established and these two were starting off their...uh...thing-that-involves-a-lot-of-sexual-tension. If people are interested in this I may consider writing more of their relationship through out the canon timeline.

“I’m sorry, I must have misheard you; you wish to _what_?”

Thunderhoof groaned on his side of the makeshift table he and Steeljaw sat at. The rest of the pack had left the factory to do their odd end jobs, making it the perfect time to come clean with his deal and yet…

“Pretty sure you heards me the first time. What with dem ears of yours always hearin’ _somethin’_ I ain’t.” He cycled a sigh, his optics choosing to look anywhere but at the wolf-con. “I, uh…think you should be my mate.”

Normally piercing yellow optics seemed to go distant from processing this information. Unlike his somewhat embarrassed comrade, Steeljaw couldn’t look away from Thunderhoof’s flustered face. Out of sheer curiosity if nothing else.

“Well.” Steeljaw stated, earning a slight jolt from the moose-con from the sudden response. A part in his spark already feared the worst from the tone. “I would hope I was already your, ‘mate’. After all, I’ve trusted you far longer than anyone else in our group.”

It took him a moment, but Thunderhoof groaned loudly at the insinuation.

“You knows _damn_ well that’s not what I meants.” The initial embarrassment passing, the crime boss got his confident tone back into the conversation. “I want yous to be more than just a business partner to me cause-“

“I never really considered giving Decepticons a place to call home a _business_. I’d say being ‘revolution’ partners is a step up from mere business associates wouldn’t you?” Steeljaw continued to look right at him, a small smile on his face as he spoke. Very few could identify it as the smile Steeljaw wears when he manipulates others to play by his rules.

“That’s not what I was gettin’ at either!” By this point the larger ‘Con stood up and leaned over, speaking in a harsh tone. “Yous keep tryin’ to avoid my offer? Well, I ain’t havin’ it!” He slammed a fist on the metal table, trying to intimidate the other into getting a straight answer.

 _Trying_ being the key word as Steeljaw stood up as well, unamused by the fear tactic and proceeding to leave the room.

“Well, as amusing as your little tantrum is, Thunderhoof, I really should go check in on the others. Whole planet to conquer and all that.” He waved a servo nonchalantly, looking over his shoulder to peer at the very enraged mech glaring at him. “When you’ve regained a clear processor, be sure to join me, _brother_. Perhaps then we can have conversations that actually matter.”

“This _does_ matter, you half-wit glitch!”

Hearing heavy pedes charging towards him, Steeljaw immediately went into his feral battle state, turning around quickly and moving to the side to avoid a direct collision with the moose-con’s antlers. He had no intention of doing any damage- well. Rather, Steeljaw had no intention of leaving any _permanent_ and disabling damage on his fellow Decepticon. Difficult to control or not, Thunderhoof was one of the best ‘Cons he had right now, and he would hate to lose that advantage in an Autobot fight.

Not having enough time to turn, but enough to slow down, Thunderhoof only barely crashed into the wall. If he had gone full force, he would’ve knocked himself offline for a while, and he’d be damned if he’d go into recharge without at least getting his point across to the ever-so-tactical-but-oh-so-aggravating wolf-con. Slamming a pede to the ground, he smirked as the resulting tremor made his target shake and fall on all fours.

Growling from the shaking in his legs, Steeljaw leapt off from the ground to get out of radius of another tremor. _This game has already overstayed its welcome_ , he thought, _I’ll knock you out, Thunderhoof, you know I will. And when you online again, you will be my pawn, just as you were before, and my plan can continue to_ -

Steeljaw froze mid-thought, still paying close attention to the battle at hand but recalculating his strategies. If he simply beat Thunderhoof now, it won’t change this… _awkwardness_ the crime boss created with his request. He’d most likely ask again, and might not wait for the next time they’re alone. Would it be weakness to respond to such a question in front of his potential army recruits? Or even further, would it be weakness to not respond at all…

“Thunderhoof, wait.” The moose-con’s anger only faded slightly from seeing Steeljaw stand upright with his servos up. A sign of a truce between the two Cons. “I don’t want to end up doing something I’ll regret later.”

“Heh! Yeah, right. Yous are just scared I’ll put you in your place.”

“I don’t fear you like you want me to.” Steeljaw glared, but reminded himself quickly that his current objective was to pacify the other long enough to talk without violence. He knew many ways to deal with mechs in these situations; flattery, bribery, sometimes he was even willing to throw in a bit of seduction if it meant gaining some poor sap’s trust. But one option stood out the best in this case.  “Although, with your tempting offer earlier, I take it you don’t want me to _fear_ you.”

“I, uh-“ Thunderhoof stammered. Steeljaw noticed the other’s body language relaxing from the earlier rage, and proceeded to walk calmly towards him with only mild caution. “Don’t thinks that- I didn’t mean it like-“ Acknowledging that the wolf-con was now standing in front of him, with that little smile again, something clicked. “So _now_ you understand what I was gettin’ at earlier!”

“Of course, I was only teasing.” He lied. “Your offer just took me a bit aback is all. After all, I wouldn’t have pegged the leading crime boss of Cybertron as a _romantic_.” Thunderhoof looked away, a bit of heat radiating off of his cheeks. Just how embarrassed could one mech get over this sort of thing…?

“It’s not likes I went on one knee or nuthin’. Don’t have to make it sound like I’m a sparkling with a school crush.”

“Your body language says otherwise.” Steeljaw chuckled as his comrade readjusted himself and paid full attention to how he was behaving. “Honestly, I’m flattered you’re so infatuated with me but-“

“Woah, woah, woah, hey now,” Thunderhoof stepped back a bit. “I didn’t say nuthin’ about, well, _lovin’_ you or anythin’. I still think you’re a shifty glitch for all it’s worth.”

Steeljaw immediately dropped any form of façade he had before, his face going a bit dark from those words. Not because Thunderhoof admitted he was still on-the-fence about cooperating with him fully, but rather the glitch comment. Thunderhoof called him that earlier too. Steeljaw didn’t appreciate that term.

“Ouch. You hurt my spark.” He managed to say, holding himself back from saying anything else that could leave their partnership permanently damaged. “If you dislike me so much, why would you even offer having me as a mate? Unless you really are that desperate for someone in your berth, in which case-“

“ _’Ey!_ ” It was at this point Steeljaw was very annoyed with being cut off midsentence over and over again, but allowed it to slide. This time. “That’s not what I was gettin’ at either! I’m not desperate for a frag, or madly in love with ya, I just-“ Thunderhoof paused, and gestured awkwardly to the two of them. “Wanna…try this thing out.”

“You wish to become mates in order to…try not to hate me as much?”

“Why do you gots to make everythin’ I say sound like the opposite of what I meant?” This time the smile on Steeljaw’s face was a genuine one, accompanied by a small laugh at the statement. “I dunno the full details but I just think that, maybe I’d like to try this thing out for a while. You know? I kinda wanna get to know you a little better, and yeah, maybe understandin’ you would get me to like you a bit more.”

The wolf-con thought it over. It was a promising notion; spend more time with his fellow ‘Con to strengthen his loyalty to him. Steeljaw was sure that with the right amount of “opening up” to the crime boss, he could ensure that Thunderhoof would never doubt him or his orders again. But the drawbacks…

Should this fail Steeljaw could lose a very valuable asset. Not to mention the unwritten rule of “never couple during a war”, even if that war was just between two groups with less than ten Cybertronians on each side. Steeljaw was confident his emotions would never get in the way of his goals, but with the way Thunderhoof behaved just from _talking_ about such a thing…

“Ey. Quit listin’ pros and cons in your processor. Word to the wise that type of thing is very rude to do when someone offers companionship.” Steeljaw blinked.

“I’m sorry, did I say something…?” He could’ve sworn he was just thinking to himself but it was always possible something slipped out.

“Don’t have to. You get this weird look in your optics when you’re thinkin’ hard about somethin’. And that tail of yours,” Thunderhoof gestured it. “Sometimes sways side to side too.”

Instinctively the wolf-con’s tail straightened out and hid away after being mentioned. Those were some precise if not alarming observations. A part of Steeljaw worried if other traits of his were as noticeable.

“My, my, aren’t you the perspective one?” He spoke through gritted denta. This was getting worrisome. “For a mech that claims to hate me you sure-“

“Never said I _hated_ you-“

Steeljaw snapped, his previous aggravation about being cut off midsentence coming out at full force as he lunged forward to cover Thunderhoof’s mouth with his servo and dragging him down so they were optic to optic.

“Don’t. Interrupt me.” He growled.

Those intense yellow optics glared long and hard, fangs displayed in a snarl. But despite the complete intimidation, Thunderhoof couldn’t help but laugh a bit. Releasing his servo, and hearing the laughter fully, Steeljaw raised a brow, half tempted to slice the other’s face for not taking his threat seriously.

“This is why I wanna try us bein’ mates, you really interest me!” Thunderhoof spoke through his laughter. He stood back, taking a good look at the perplexed face the wolf-con was making. “Aight, open honesty time; you do scare the scrap out of me some times. _Especially_ when you’re ticked off like that. And I’m impressed by that; it’s not something just any mech can do to me.”

“Flattery won’t save your spark if I got _really_ angry with you.” Steeljaw said and pondered. “…But do go on.”

“You’re stubborn and selfish and would probably leave me for scrap if a fight got too rough, and that’s why I don’t like ya. But at the same time…that junk is the same junk some dead mech would say about me.” Thunderhoof smirked. “I like the potential you and I has got, and that’s why I think we should be a thing.”

 _Don’t compare me to you when you don’t even know me._ Steeljaw thought, his servos clenching and unclenching at his sides. _You’re a fool if you think developing a bond would change that. You are a pawn and always will be; to think yourself as an equal to me is idiocy. This is a fact you will learn, even if I have to break your spark to teach you this lesson. So until then…_

“Very well. Consider me interested in this little exchange.” Steeljaw raised a claw before letting the other speak. “But on a few conditions.”

“Hah…and it was _so easy_ to get you this far.” Thunderhoof said sarcastically. He tilted his helm to the side with a half-smile, inwardly pleased that his offer was finally accepted. “Alright, let’s hear da terms and conditions.”

“One, this relationship between us will not go public. A crime boss like yourself must understand that being a leader requires respect from his comrades, and I will not have you be considered my ‘ _weakness_ ’ to others.”

“Or the Autobots either.” Thunderhoof glared to the side. “They may not be ‘Cons, but I wouldn’t put it past them to see this as a battle strategy. Aight, what else?”

“Two, you let me progress in this relationship at my own pace. Intimate contact and berth activities…well, I’m a mech who’ll get comfortable over time.” That was a lie. Steeljaw had his fair share of “mates” in the past, none of which ended too well for them. Being able to decide when to display physical emotion to Thunderhoof was a game piece Steeljaw desired for any future conflicts they may have. “I’m not opposed to the occasional servo holding though.” He held a servo out to prove such a fact.

Thunderhoof looked at the servo and back to Steeljaw, before looking at it again as if confirming this was indeed an invitation. Ever so hesitantly, he accepted it, and laced their digits together, taking a step closer to his new partner, metaphorically and literally.

“I’m okay with that…anything else?” He was speaking softer, Steeljaw noted. His optics seemed to soften up a bit too. “Cause, if yous got a whole list, I might needs to get somethin’ to write with.”

A genuine laugh escaped Steeljaw’s lips. “No, that’s everything. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else,” He leaned forward, their close proximity allowing him to rest his helm on Thunderhoof’s chest. “ _My dear_.”

A noise was made from the moose-con that Steeljaw couldn’t quite identify as being flustered from the contact, or rather annoyed with the pun he just made. Whatever the case, the wolf-con felt an arm wrap around his back in an embrace. “Yeah, yeah. You keep me posted then.”

“You know, the others will be returning soon…”

“Oh. Right.” Thunderhoof removed himself from the other, and was about to untangle their still locked digits until the claws he held tightened up a bit. Then he was just flat out confused. “Eyo? Wasn’t step one _not_ to let the others see this?”

“Oh, it still very much is, but that wasn’t the point I was trying to make.” Steeljaw admittedly enjoyed seeing how this partnership was working out for him already. Complete obedience… “Once the others return and brief me on their missions, perhaps the two of us could take a drive somewhere and talk more? I’d love nothing more than to try and convince you I’m more than what you think I am.”

That, surprisingly enough, was not a lie. With a nod and confirmation for their little “date”, Steeljaw allowed Thunderhoof to leave the room, his optics not looking away until the ‘Con was completely out sight. He sighed contently to himself.

_This will be easier than I thought._

Although his processor was already concocting all sorts of lies and plans and strategies to get Thunderhoof to respect him unconditionally, the one thing Steeljaw failed to notice was how he had rested his still warm servo over his spark and wore a smile made for no one but himself.


End file.
